Buffalo WY - Custer SD

Buffalo, WY (7/24/2016)

Wild Turkey & Chicks

Deer & Horses

Pronghorns

On our last evening in Buffalo, we visited the Occidental Hotel in town.  As far back as 1880, it had developed a reputation as the best place to stay.  Many famous people stayed here including:  Buffalo Bill Cody, Teddy Roosevelt, Tom Horn, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and Calamity Jane.

The hotel, included in the novel “The Virginian”;  posted the first famous shoot-out of the novel and it took place outside the Occidental Hotel.  The saloon is exactly the way it looked over 100 years ago.  Walking the halls and lobby of the hotel, one can smell the old wooden features of the hotel and experience the creaking floors as well.  They still had the original kitchen with “ice box” and tea room.  

 

Rapid City, SD 7/25/2016

The drive to Rapid City was uneventful.  Very long persistent 5 – 7% hills to climb.  Several construction sites along the way were encountered but nothing like our experiences to the north.

After setting up camp and relaxing for the afternoon, we visited Mount Rushmore and the nightly commemoration and honoring of our past and present war heroes.

It was amazing seeing this place again after approximately 10 years since our last visit.  Many changes have taken place since.  The seating has changed for the better and the presentation as well.  

With perfect cool temperatures and a light breeze, it was a very pleasant evening.

Custer State Park 7/26/2016

A noisy morning of thunder, dropped only a small amount of rain.  By  8:30, the clouds began rolling out of the area.  We left for Custer State Park, an hour later.  This park is one that we have visited twice before.  It was fun to drive through the roads leading to the park, and reminisce about when we were last there.  About 9 or 10 years ago.

We headed for the Wildlife Loop, hoping that we’d see the buffalo herds we remembered so well.  We first came across a deer in the trees.  Farther down the road, we saw these cute little fellas: prairie dogs.  

We didn’t have to go too far before we saw the first buffalo herd!  They were clustered around a watering hole.  

 

Bull rolling in dirt

We were also hoping to see bears at the park, so we had our eyes open for the search.  We rounded a curve and saw many cars clustered at the side of the road.  Apparently, there was a bear sighting on the rock face of a far-off cliff.  Many people were taking pictures and told us where to spot the bear.  We grabbed our binoculars and suddenly realized that there were two of them!  The binoculars went around the truck for each of us to get a good look.  Finally, Claude said, “Those are birds!”  Huh?  So the binoculars made the rounds again for us to each identify the “bears” as huge black Vultures!  We still think that we are the only ones who realized the discrepancy.  That’s what happens when you really want to see bears!

The donkeys that inhabit this park, are very accustomed to people.  They will walk right up to you for food!  We didn’t feed them (as we did the first time we came here, when Jamie was about 12). We just enjoyed watching them.   

A few more miles down this loop, we saw Pronghorns.  They were hanging out by the road, just waiting to get their pictures taken!

Stopped at the wildlife visitors’ center to have a picnic lunch.

 Then, off for more buffalo “hunting”.  They didn’t disappoint. 

 

 

We had a great time in the Black Hills of South Dakota.   Tomorrow, onto Plankinton, SD for a one night stop on our route home.